Otto flour



(No Model.)

0. FLOHR.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 445,246. Patented Jan. 27, 1891.

INVENTOR: WITNESSg:

W KW I By his Atfomeys,

756 m\dmmm v MNTTED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

OTTO FLOHR, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES A. POOLEY, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SFECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 445,246, dated January 27, 1891.

Application filed October 13, 1890. Serial No. 367,939. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OTTO FLOHR, a citizen of the United States, residing in Buffalo, 'in the county of Erie and State of New York,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Oouplers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to car-couplers generally, and it has particular reference to means for fastening car-couplers to the buffer-bearns or car-sills of engines, tenders, and cars.

The object of the invention is to improve the construction of the fastening portion of [5 the coupler, to facilitate the operation of applying it to and removing it from its position, and to strengthen its connection with the car.

To this end in carrying out the preferred form of my invention I construct the coup- 2o ler-head with a back plate to abut against the buffer-beam or car-sill and with an extension passing across the beam and embracing the side and preferably the back thereof, preferably after the manner of a hook, the whole being most advantageously cast in one integral piece with the coupling-head.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a plan view of a coupling-head constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a hori- 0 zontal section of the coupler, and Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the buffer-beam and coupler in the plane of the line 3 3, Fig. 2.

Let A indicate the coupling-head, and B the buffer-beam or sill, of a car or engine to which the coupler is fastened.

\Vhile my invention is applicable to various classes of couplers, I have shown it as applied to the class known as the Janney couplers, and I will describe it as thus applied and as attached to the buffer-beam or sill of a locomotive-tender, although it is equally applicable to engines and cars.

In couplers of this class it is customary to make the coupling-head A as a hollow shell 5 of cast-iron, with horizontal top and bottom walls or webs a and Z) and vertical curved walls or webs extending between them to form a hollow space or chamber for the reception of the locking-jaw O and pawl D. The

coupling-head is formed with two projecting jaws or horns and an intervening opening or depression, the right-hand horn 0 being the one to which the coupling-jaw O is pivoted and the left-hand horn cl being the guidinghorn, which serves to guideflthe coupling-jaw of the opposite head into place during the act of coupling. The coupling-jaw B is in general in the form of an elbow-lever, its outer arm forming the hook which engages the other coupler and its inner arm 6 constituting a means for locking the jaw in place by being engaged when the heads are coupled together with the locking-pawl D, as shown in Fig. 2. The operation of this class of couplers is so Well known as to require no description of it herein.

Oar'couplers of this and other classes when attached directly to the buffer-beam or sill of an engine or car have heretofore been provided with a flat vertical rear face abut- 7o ting against the front side of the beam or sill and secured thereto by bolts passing into or through the beam.

I will now describe my improved fastening device, referring to the drawings, in which 7 5 like letters of reference indicate like parts.

According to my invention I provide the coupling-head with means for embracing the buffer-beam or car-sill, which means preferably consist of a plate fat the rear side of the coupling-head A, adapted to fit against the front side of the beam B and having a projection for embracing the latter. This projection consists of an arm or portion g, extending across or partially across the beam B rearwardly of the coupling-headA and embracing the side of the beam. I prefer to form the arm g on the lower portion of the platef, and to construct it to embrace the under side of the beam B; also to extend it en tirely across the under side of the beam. B, and to provide at its end an upward extension or projection h, embracing the rear side of the beam B and extending partially across the latter. The projections g and it together 5 constitute a hook E, engaging the beam. The plate f is preferably extended laterally beyond the sides of the coupling-head A in the form of wings t' i, and, by preference, the portions g and h are duplicated, one extending 10o rearwardly from each of the wings 2' i, thus providing two hooks E E at opposite sides of the coupling-head. Holes are provided for the passage of bolts for clamping the coupling-head to the beam B. These are preferably formed as shown, the holesjj being in the upper portions of the wings t i, the holes 70 7t being in the lower portions, and theholes Z Z being in the projections h h and directly opposite the holes is It. The clampingbolts m m pass through the upper holes jj and through the beam B, thus drawing the plate f against the beam, while the two lower bolts n 01. pass through the holes 7.: 70 Z Z and clamp the beam B between the platef and the projection h, thereby rigidly locking the coupling-head and beam together.

I prefer to form the coupling-head and its fastening provisionsintegrally, preferably by casting the whole in one piece.

By my invention the coupling-head is more securely fastened to the beam than'heretofore, and its correct position vertically relatively to, the beam is insured without materially increasing the cost of the coupler. Should the bolts n 4% become loosened the coupler would still maintain its correct position by reason of the projection h, which to a large extent relieves the strain on the bolts.

It will be understood that my invention is not limited to the particular details herein shown and described, as it may be variously modified without departing from its essential features.

What I claim is, in devices for fastening car-couplers to engineatenders, and cars, the following defined novel features and combinations, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, namely 1. The combination, with the buffer-beam or sill, of a plate for abutting against the front side of said beam and having projections embracing the latter, a coupling-head carried by said plate, and bolts passing through the plate and clamping it to the beam.

2. The combination, with the buffer-beam or sill, of a plate for abutting against the front side of said beam, having projections embracing the latter and formed integrally with a coupling-head, and bolts passing through the plate for clamping it to the beam.

3. Acoupling-head formed witha base-plate adapted to fit against the front side of a buffer-beam or car-sill, and having a projection for embracing the side of said beam, and boltholes for the passage of bolts for clamping it to said beam.

4. A coupling-head formed with a baseplate adapted to fit against the front side of a buffer-beam or car-sill, and having a pro jection for embracing the side of said beam and a projection for embracing the rear side of the latter, and bolt-holes for the passage of bolts for clamping it to said beam.

5. A coupling-head formed with a baseplate f, having hooks E E extended from its lower side rearwardly and upwardly to engage the under and rear sides of a buIler-beam to which the coupling-head is bolted.

In witness whereof Ihave hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

OTTO FLOUR.

Witnesses:

GEORGE H. FRASER, CHARLES C. STRANG. 

